338 PENANCE OP MEXICAN PEIESTS. 



LIB. v. an( j somewhat to quicken our coldnes and sloth, in the ser 



vice of the great God ; to speake something of the rigor and 

 strange penance this miserable people vsed at the Divell s 

 perswasion, like to the false Prophets of Baal, who did beate 



3 Reg. and wound themselves with lancets, drawing forth blond ; 



or, like those that sacrificed their sonnes and daughters 

 Psai. cv. vnto loathsome Belphegor, 1 passing them through the fire, as 



4 Reg. xxi. holy Writ testifieth ; for Sathan hath alwayes desired to be 



served, to the great hurte and spoyle of man. It hath beene 

 said that the priests and religious of Mexico rose at mid 

 night, and having cast incense before the idoll, they retired 

 themselves into a large place, where there were many lights ; 

 and, sitting downe, every one took a poynt of Maguay, 2 

 which is like vnto an awle or sharpe bodkin, with the which, 

 or with some other kindes of launcets or rasors, they pierced 

 the calfes of their legges neare to the bone, drawing foorth 

 much blood, with the which they annoynted their temples, 

 and dipt these bodkins or lancets in the rest of the blood, 

 then set they them vpon the battlements of the Court, 

 stickt in gloabes or bowles of strawe, that all might see and 

 know the penance they did for the people : they do wash off 

 the blood in a lake appoynted for that purpose, which they 

 call Ezapangue, which is to say water of blood. 



There were in the Temple a great number of bodkins or 

 lancets, for that they might not vse one twice. Moreover, 

 these Priests and Eeligious men vsed great fastings, of five 

 or ten daies together, before any of their great feastes, and 

 they were vnto them as our foure ember weekes ; they were 

 so strict in continence that some of them (not to fall into 

 any sensualitie) slit their members in the midst, and did a 

 thousand thinges to make themselves vnable, lest they should 

 offend their gods. They drunke no wine and slept little, for 

 that the greatest part of their exercises were by night, com- 



1 &quot; Al suzio Beelfegor.&quot; 

 * Maguey, Mexican aloe. 



